Chester Moore Jr.

Cameron, both in Cameron Parish, are areas that anglers should consider fishing. Target the deep holes at the ends of jetties where there is strong current washout, as the reds congregate there in large numbers. If the deepest holes are inaccessible, you should back off and look for dips in the rocks. These dips are indicative of small spots slightly deeper than the surrounding water, and that is where the drum will be. Another sign for which to be on the lookout is vegetation growing on the bottom of the rocks. These areas often hold many small crabs on which big reds like to dine. Broken in half or fished whole, crab has a long hook life and is irresistible to the big red that catches a whiff of them.

The boat cuts at jetties also are great areas for targeting reds, particularly on a strong, moving tide. Avoid fishing right in the mouth of these areas, as boat traffic is heavy. Instead, back off and fish a few dozen yards away and be mindful of the tides. Tidal movement is a necessity and it really does not matter which tide you are fishing as long as it is moving.

Use a live croaker rigged on a circle hook or Daiichi Tru-Turn hook. Using croaker means smaller trash fish will not bother the bait, and the circle hook virtually guarantees a lip-hooked fish. That, in turn, should ensure a live release of the fish. Anglers should not be afraid to use the largest croaker they catch. I have caught bull reds using foot-long croaker. The bigger the bait, the bigger the fish, especially at the Sabine and Cameron jetties.

An overlooked but productive area is Lake Borgne. Look for the area on the main lake about a quarter-mile in front of some of the big cuts on the eastern shoreline on strong outgoing tides from summer through fall.

These reds are notoriously spooky, inspiring anglers who seek them frequently to carpet their boats so as not to make any unnecessary sounds. Feeding reds sometimes are not as easily spooked as solitary ones, but they can be. The best advice is to approach slowly with a trolling motor and stay within easy casting distance, but get no closer.

When the tide slows down, look for reds to be bunched up around small- to medium-sized schools of baitfish, attacking the remnants of its purge.

Lipless crankbaits like the Rat-L-Trap are good to throw into these areas, as are soft plastics that drop slowly like a Wedge Tail or Chatter Tube. Another good choice is a DOA Shrimp fished on the bottom and crawled at a snail’s pace. Reds like to hit the bait as soon as it hits the water, but if not, be patient and fish it slowly for best results.

LARGEMOUTH BASS
Louisiana has strong fishing for largemouth bass, although there are not as many huge ones taken here as in neighboring Texas and nearby Florida. The consistency for catching “quality” fish is second to none.

Toledo Bend Reservoir offers the most diverse fishing and probably the best shot at catching a fish weighing more than 10 pounds. Toledo Bend is back from a serious drought, and the vegetation re-growth has been tremendous. Look for this spring to offer great fishing for anglers using jigs and Carolina-rigged worms up to 10 inches long fished around the outside grass lines and on the edges of the peppergrass.

During summer months, anglers should target the humps and ridges on the main body of the lake north of Huxley Bay. Fishing medium-running crankbaits like a Fat Free Shad or Bomber 9A typically is the most productive method.

As fall approaches, look for schooling activity throughout the lake, especially on the larger covers in the mid-lake zone. Slab spoons like the locally popular Rinky Dink and small spinners will produce dozens of fish up to 4 pounds, with occasional lunkers in the mix.

The locks in the Red River system are great for bass and perfect for anglers more suited to river fishing. During the spring, focus your efforts on the main points coming out of the oxbows and along staging points on the main river channel. Crankbaits and slow-sinking plastics like the Senko are great big bass-getters.

Bass anglers shouldn’t overlook the Interstate 10 corridor and the “marsh bass” that congregate there. The fish usually don’t grow very big here, but it is possible to catch more than 100 in a day, particularly in late summer and early spring. A watermelon-colored French fry rigged wacky-style, or a white H&H spinner can produce extraordinary numbers of bass in the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, Lacassine Pool, and the marshes surrounding Calcasieu Lake, and on the perimeter of Lake Pontchartrain.